NATO ends combat mission in war-torn Afghanistan

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in a statement: "At the end of this year, we complete our combat mission in Afghanistan and open a new chapter in our relationship with Afghanistan."

He said: "The security of Afghanistan will be fully in the hands of the country’s 350,000 Afghan soldiers and police. But NATO Allies, together with many partner nations, will remain to train, advise and assist them. This is what NATO and Afghan leaders agreed together. It has been made possible by the courage and capability of the Afghan National Security Forces, and by the dedication of the international forces who helped train them over the past years."

"Many challenges remain, and there is much work still to do," he said.

He said the Afghan security forces will continue to need our help as they develop.

"Our new mission, “Resolute Support,” will bring together around 12,000 men and women from NATO Allies and 14 partner nations. The mission is based on a request from the Afghan government and the Status of Forces Agreement between NATO and Afghanistan. The United Nations Security Council unanimously welcomed the agreement between Afghanistan and NATO to establish the mission and stressed the importance of continued international support for the stability of Afghanistan," Stoltenberg said.